The Union Pacific Railroad (UP) announced a seven-day pause beginning on July 19th for Eastbound traffic from the U.S. West Coast terminals (Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Tacoma) to the Global IV terminal in Joliet, IL. The UP is using this time to reduce the rail backlog en route and around the Chicago area. Although there are five terminals in Chicago, delays for cargo coming into the Midwest can be expected.
“We believe this change will allow the transportation supply chain to begin working off the backlog of Global IV-destined trains, while freeing up railcar assets to support import loading needs on the West Coast,” UP said in a statement. “We are working closely with the ocean carriers and collaborating wherever possible to improve the health of the supply chain.”
While this decision will help alleviate the issues in Chicago, it may temporarily increase the congestion on the West Coast, which has been dealing with delays and a backlog for months due to increased import volumes.
If you have concerns about any of your shipments, please reach out to the Deringer Service Center managing your account.
